In This Issue

Department News

360 Students in '00 - Largest Class Ever
- A dramatic increase in the number of students pursuing computer engineering
degrees is swelling the number of students in the Department. 1999 projections
show more computer engineering degrees to be conferred by Virginia Tech
than electrical engineering degrees.

BSEE/BSCpE Requirements Changed - The
Department has revised the undergraduate curriculum, reducing the number
of required credit hours, reconfiguring courses, and eliminating duplication
of material among the courses.

Modular Off-Campus MS Programs Proposed
- The Department is proposing leading the development of a new interdisciplinary
Master of Information Technology, along with continuing education programs,
to help the state meet its critical need for workers with networks, communications
and software expertise.

A New Home - Several EE and CpE groups
and laboratories have moved into the University's New Engineering Building.

Letter From the Department Head-
The Department Head discusses the growing demand for computer engineering
degrees among students and possible future changes in teaching software
skills.

Virtual Corporations Designing Products, Conducting
Studies - Virginia Tech's two student-run virtual corporations
have begun developing the first of their systems. One groups is developing
a prototype for a medical distributed information storage and retrieval
system, and another is building a 20-foot model of a magnetic levitation
system using switched reluctance motors.